ESH (CLINICAL HYPERTENSION SPECIALIST)

ESH. Clinical Hypertension specialist of the European Society of Hypertension APPLICATION FORM (.doc, 37 kbytes).

EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF HYPERTENSION Clinical Hypertension Specialist of the European Society of Hypertension

GUIDELINES FOR CLINICAL HYPERTENSION SPECIALIST OF ESH

Background Hypertension is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and its high prevalence in the population makes it a major cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world. Therefore diagnosis and treatment of hypertension are steps of fundamental importance for public health. This requires a cooperation between primary care physicians and physicians who have the long-time experience, the multidisciplinary knowledge and the access to medical centers that allow them to effectively deal with complex and difficult cases such as secondary hypertensions, complicated hypertensions, refractory hypertensions, hypertensions accompanied by concomitant diseases and with poorly compliant patients. Yet these hypertension specialists are not formally identified. Nor is there any training programme that specifically focuses on hypertension either as a single specialization or as a dedicated "cursus studiorum" within established medical specializations.

Goals - To identify clinical hypertension specialists in European countries - To contribute to the formation of these specialists by teaching and training courses on hypertension - To improve treatment of hypertension in Europe (currently effective in a low number of patients) and thus obtain a better prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Criteria for eligibility as Clinical Hypertension Specialist of ESH 1. Clinical experience in hypertension (not less than 10 years) with particular reference to referral of patients with difficult hypertensions. 2. Training in a medical speciality germain to hypertension (Internal Medicine, Nephrology, Cardiology, Endocrinology, Primary care, etc.) 3. A certain degree of scientific activity (e.g. publications on clinical hypertension, participation in clinical trials, etc.) 4. Continuing interest and updating in hypertension as shown by participation in scientific meetings and membership in hypertension related scientific societies. 5. Recognition by their peers at national levels.

Process of certification as Clinical Hypertension Specialist of ESH The certification process involves a cooperation between ESH and National Hypertension Societies. 1. Each applicant has to send his/her application from (available through his/her National Hypertension Society or Internet) to a National Selection Committee nominated by the National hypertension Society. 2. Upon approval by the National Selection Committee the application form is sent to the Steering Committee for Clinical Hypertension Specialist of ESH. This Committee takes the final decision about the nomination in consultation with an Advisory Accreditation Committee formed by representatives of each National Hypertension Society. 3. Each nominee is required to pay a fee of 50 Euro to ESH (to be sent to the ESH Treasurer, Professor Wolfgang Kiowski - Dept. of Internal Medicine - Division of Cardiology - University Hospital - Ramstrasse 100 - CH 8091 Zurich - Switzerland). Nominations will be reported in the Journal of Hypertension, Blood Pressure, ISH Hypertension News and Internet. They will be announced at the yearly meetings of ESH. The diploma will be given to nominees at the yearly meetings of ESH.

Clinical Hypertension Specialist of the European Society of Hypertension

Training and Teaching Activities From 2002 nominations will also be based on credits obtained through participation in scientific meetings and teaching courses endorsed by ESH.

Teaching Courses - Summer School of ESH (7 days): 3 credits - Teaching Courses organized by National Hypertension Societies (minimal duration two full days with programme (theoretical and practical) endorsed by ESH: 2 credits - Internet programme of theoretical and practical self-assessment endorsed by ESH: 2 credits - Teaching courses within yearly ESH meetings: maximal 1 credit It will be desirable for applicants to have at least 10 credits for participation in scientific meetings and 10 credits for participation in teaching courses. Credits will have to be documented and indicated in the sheet included in the application form.